Apparatus for fluid treatment of materials



Nov. 18, 1952 H. H. BELCH ER ETAL APPARATUS FOR FLUID TREATMENT OF MATERIALS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 17, 1947 NTOR5 BY 31 -1 M uni;

INV 16m A! Eric Nov. 18, 1952 H. H. BELCHER ETAL 2,618,1

APPARATUS FOR FLUID TREATMENT 0F MATERIALS 4 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Dec. 17, 1947 W 157%123 BY .Bizli's 11.11am

H. H. BELCHER ETAL 2,618,142

APPARATUS FOR FLUID TREATMENT OF MATERIALS Filed Dec'. 1'7, 194? Nov. 18, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet s dd d NOV. 18, 1952 H, 'E ETAL 2,618,142

APPARATUS FOR FLUID TREATMENT OF MATERIALS Filed Dec. 17, I94? I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I Maggy Z5 Zziss M James Patented Nov. 18, 1952 APPARATUS FOR FLUID TREATMENT OF MATERIALS Harold H. Belcher and Bliss M. Jones, Orange, Mass., assignors to Rodney Hunt Machine 00., Orange, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 17, 1947, Serial No. 792,140

This invention relates to apparatus for fluid treatment of materials, and more particularly to apparatus for handling continuous running lengths of materials, such as textiles and the like, which are subject to shrinkage or elongation as a result of the fluid treatment.

. Apparatus as heretofore employed for this purpose has in general been incapable of handling such materials in a satisfactory manner. In particular, elongation of the material has often resulted in folding or entanglement thereof, and shrinkage of the material has often resulted in the imposition of excessive and damaging tensile stresses thereon. Some machines will produce excessive tension even though no shrinkage occurs. These problems have been recognized, and Letters Patent No. 2,474,717 issued June 28, 1949, to Harold H. Belcher, discloses an apparatus which is capable of handling in a successful manner materials in the form of open width Webs.

The prior Belcher apparatus is particularly adapted for handling webs of appreciable width.

It is one object of the invention to provide a modification of the prior Belcher apparatus which will be better adapted to handle either relatively narrow webs, or webs which are bunched laterally and commonly known as rope goods.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for the fluid treatment of material in a continuous running strand while advancing the strand in a substantially tensionless condition and without entanglement thereof regardless of such shrinkage or elongation as may take place.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a very compact apparatus arranged to subject a relatively long portion of a continuous running strand of material'to fluid treatment while advancing the strand through the apparatus in a substantially tensionless condition even though shrinkage and elongation may take place simultaneously in different parts of the strand.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a washer for handling rope goods, the section being taken on the line II of Fig. 3;

5 Claims. (Cl. 68-476) Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modification of the invention; I

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing a further modification of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive comprises an enclosure in the form of a tank I0 which is divided into a front compartment II and a rear compartment I2 by means of an upright partition wall I4. An inlet pipe I5 connects with one end of the rear compartment I2 to deliver a suitable washing liquid thereto, and an outlet pipe I6 connects with the corresponding end of the front compartment II to withdraw liquid therefrom. The partition wall I4 is provided with an opening II therethrough near the other end of the tank to allow flow of liquid from the rear compartment into the front compartment.

Within the lower portion of the front compartment H there is mounted a long horizontal roll I9 having a shaft 20 and within the lower portion of the rear compartment I2 there is mounted a long horizontal roll 21 having a shaft 22. The peripheral surfaces of the rolls I9 and 2i are formed with circumferentially spaced ribs or bars 24. The shafts 2E! and 22 extend through the end walls of the tank and are rotatably supported in suitable bearings 25. A series of relatively short axially aligned flanged horizontal idler rolls or spools 27 are mounted a substantial distance above the front roll I9, to form a guide means, and'a similar series of relatively short axially aligned flanged horizontal idler rolls or spools 28 are mounted a substantial distance above the rear roll 2|. The front idler rolls 2! are mounted on a horizontal shaft 29 and are free to rotate independently thereon. Similarly the rear idler rolls 28 are mounted on a horizontal shaft 30 and are free to rotate independently thereon.

The apparatus is arranged to operate upon a running length or strand of material, indicated by the broken lines S, which may be in the form of a narrow flat web or a wider web bunched laterally in rope form. This strand S enters the upper front portion of the enclosure I0, near one end thereof through an inlet guide 32 and passes over the adjacent front idler roll 21, thence downwardly in a depending loop beneath the front lower roll I9, then continuing alternately over the upper rolls 21 and beneath the lower roll I9 until the last upper roll 21 is reached. From this roll the strand travels across to the adjacent rear idler roll 28, thence downwardly in a depending loop beneath the rear lower roll 2|, then continuing alternately over the upper rolls 2B and beneath the lower roll 2| until the last upper roll 28 is reached. From this roll the strand travels out of the enclosure through an outlet guide 33 and thence through the nip provided by a lower roll having a shaft 36 and an upper roll 31 having a shaft 38. The upper roll 31 may be an idler roll yieldably held by suitable means against the lower roll 35 to grip the strand, and the lower roll 35 may be driven by-asuitable source of power at a predetermined speed to withdraw the strand through the guide 33. Guides of the spaced pin or ladder type are provided above the lower rolls 9 and 2| to direct the down-running portions of the strand, and guides 4| of the pot-eye type are provided beneath the upper idler rolls 21 and 28 to direct the up-running portions of the strand;

The lower rolls l9 and 2| are both rotated at peripheral speeds appreciably greater than that of the take-out roll 35, so that regardless of any shrinkage or elongation which may occur in the strand .s :it will nevertheless travel through the apparatus in a substantially tensionless condition. For this purpose the shaft 36 is connected to the shaft '22 by a chain drive 43, and theshaft 22 is-conneeted to the shaft 2-0 by a chain drive 41 (Fig. 3). With this construction the bars 24 of the lower rolls are always traveling somewhat taster than the adjacent portions of the strand S, and by thus slipping forwardly within the loops the rolls maintain the up-running portions of the strand free from all tension exceptsuch as results from the weight of the strand itself. The tension in the down-running portions of the strands is increased very slightly by the frictional resistance of the upper idler rolls 2! and 28 to rotation. This resistance, however, is very small, particularly since each roll is free to rotate independently at the exact speed determined by the speed of thelparticular portion "of the strand in contact therewith.

in order to minimize wear due to the rotation of the idler :rolls 27 and 28 on the shafts 2 9 and 30, means may be provided to drive these :shaits inthe same direction as the rolls. For this purpose the shaft 20 is connected to the shaft .29 by a chain drive 46, and the shaft 29 is connected to the shaft 3|] by a chain drive '47 These chain drives are so constructed as to rotate the shafts 29 and 39 at a speed corresponding to a peripheral speed for the idler rolls thereon which is very appreciably less than the speedof withdrawal of the strand, as determined by the peripheral speed of the take-out roll 35. Hence, despite possible elongation of the strand resulting from the fluid treatment as it travels through the apparatus, the strand will nevertheless rotate the idler rolls somewhat faster than the shafts which support them. As a result. there will be no tendency for the idler rolls to-drive the strand and to tighten the up-running portions thereof. The shafts 29 and 30 are rotatably supported in bearings 49 (Fig. 3) located outside the tank It. With this construction the rotation of the idler rolls relative to their supporting shafts is relatively small, so that wear on the bearings for the individual rolls is for the most part eliminated.

The operation of the invention will now be {apparent from the'above disclosure. The strand S enters the tank l0 through the entrance guide 32, passes over the adjacent front idler roll 21, and then travels in a path leading alternately beneath the front lower roll l9 and over the remaining idler rolls 2?. Upon leaving the last roll 21 the strand travels over the adjacent rear idler roll 23 and then alternately beneath the rear lower roll 2| and over the remaining idler rolls 28. Upon leaving the last roll 28 the strand leaves the tank through the outlet guide 33 and passes between the take-out rolls 35 and 31. These rolls serve to control the speed of withdrawal and they may also serve as wringer rolls to squeeze washing fluid from the strand. If desired a continuous flow of washing fluid may be provided in 'counterflow relation to the general direction of travel of the strand. This fluid will enter the rear compartment |2 from the pipe I 5, flow along this compartment and through the opening I! into the front compartment II, and thence along the compartment H to the outlet pipe lfi. Although the apparatus is relatively compact, the strand has a long path of travel therethrough and is subjected to a thorough washing action by being repeatedly immersed in the washing fluid and withdrawn therefrom.

The progress of the strand through the apparatus will be continuous and without appreciable tension, regardless of shrinkage or elongation. Furthermore there will be no entanglementof the strand or other difficulties in maintaining its forward travel. Since the peripheral speed of the driven lower rolls l9 and 2| -is appreciably greater than the speed of strand withdrawal, these rolls will always slip forwardly with respect to the adjacent portions ofv the strand even though the latter mayshrinkin passing throughthe tank. Hence the strand will always remain substantially 'free from tension, for if one of the depending loops should shorten, this would immediately increase the traction between the lower roll and the lower portion of the loop, causing the strand to be moved ahead somewhat faster to prevent any increase in tension. Any lengthening of aparticular loop will immediately reduce the traction between the lower .roll and the adjacent .portion of the loop, causing the strand to slow up slightly until the slack there in has been taken up. .The spaced bars 24 will reduce adhesion of the wet strand to the lower rolls and thereby avoid any possibility of the-uprunning portionsof the strand becoming wrapped over the tops of the rolls.

In Fig. 4 .there. is shown a modification in which the idler rolls '21 of Fig. '3 are replaced by a single long horizontal roll 5| which is fixed to the shaft 29 to rotate therewith. The peripheral speed of this roll is very appreciably less 'thanthe speed of withdrawal of the strand, as determined 'by the peripheral speed of the take-out r011 '35. Hence, despite possible elongation of the strand S as it travels through the machine, the strand will always slip forwardly over the surface of the roll, and the tension in the down-running .portions of the strand Will always slightly exceed that in the up-runnin'g portions. The operation of this embodiment will be the same as that of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, except "for a slight increase in the tension of the downrunning portions of the strand caused by. the friction of the strand in sliding over the roll 5|. With some materials this slight increase in tension will not be objectionable.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is shown a further modification in which the idler rolls- 21 of Fig.

3 are replaced by a long horizontal guide bar 53 having a convex upper surface over which the strand S slides. This apparatus will operate in the same manner as that of Fig. 4, except that the velocity of the strand S in sliding over the bar 53 will be greater than the velocity of the strand relative to the roll 5|. This increased slippage may cause a slight wear on the strand, but with some materials this effect will be negligible.

While the invention has been particularly described as applied to a continuous washer, it will be understood that it is adapted for use in connection with many other types of fluid treatment apparatus employed for operating upon continuous strands.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for fluid treatment of materials in running lengths comprising a long horizontal lower roll, a series of relatively short horizontal upper idler rolls above the lower roll, means supporting the idler rolls for free rotation independently of one another, means for directing a strand of material in a path leading alternately over the upper rolls and beneath the lower roll in a series of depending loops, means to withdraw the strand from the said path at a predetermined speed, and means to rotate the lower roll at a peripheral speed appreciably exceeding the speed of withdrawal and thereby cause the lower roll to slip forwardly with respect to the adjacent portions of the strand and the strand to travel along the said path in a substantially tensionless condition regardless of shrinkage or elongation of the strand during such travel.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which 6 the idler rolls are axially aligned with one another.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which the idler rolls are supported on a horizontal shaft and are free to rotate independently thereon.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, in which driving means is provided to rotate the shaft in the same direction as the idler rolls are rotated by the engagement of the strand therewith.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, in which the shaft is rotated at a speed corresponding to a peripheral speed for the idler rolls which is very appreciably less than the speed of withdrawal of the strand, so that the strand will rotate the idler rolls somewhat faster than the shaft despite elongation of the strand as it travels through the apparatus.

HAROLD H. BELCHE'R. BLISS M. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 721,630 Willard Feb. 24, 1903 816,179 Palmer Mar. 27, 1906 1,165,896 Palmer Dec. 28, 1915 1,857,111 Macadam May 3, 1932 2,108,285 Forrest Feb. 15, 1938 2,145,019 Backup Jan. 24, 1939 2,239,636 Weiss Apr. 22, 1941 2,266,605 Jones Dec. 16, 1941 2,267,117 Mann Dec. 23, 1941 2,276,605 Andrews Mar. 17, 1942 2,321,635 Taylor June 15, 1943 2,474,717 Belcher June 28. 1949 

